Ignition apparatus for hydrocarbon-engines.



R. HUPF.

IGNITION APPARATUS FOR HYDROOABBONBNGINES. APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 22, 1906.

1,079,413, I Patented Nov. 25,1913.

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APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 22, 1906. 1 ()79 41 3 Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1906.

PatentedNov. 25, 1913.

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wi/limeaoao attoxwuzo zen of the United NITED sfrarns PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL HUFF, 015 DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR,

BY. MESNE AssIGNMEtrrs, T0

PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

IGNITION APPARATUS FOR HYDROGARBON-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application filed December, 22, 1906. Serial No. 349,190.

.To all whom it may concemi:

Be it known that I, RUSSELL HUFF, a citi- States, and resident of, Detroit, lVayne county, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus for. Hydrocarbon-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric ignition apparatus for multiple cylinder hydrocarbon engines and more particularly for engines adapted for driving motor vehicles and motor boats.

The invention tion with the which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a magneto generator illustrating the present invention; Fig. 2 is a left end elevation of the generator showing the switching and contact devices; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section .on the line 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the lower part of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the cylinders of the hydrocarbon engines and the various circuits.

Referring to the drawing 10 indicates the permanent magnets of the magneto generator A, and 11 the armature shaft. The armature may be of any desired type, such, for instance, as that illustrated in Letters Patent N o. 7 80,221'to J. W. Packard. Upon the face of the generator is a fixed plate 12 will be described in connecaccompanylng drawing in upon'which ismounted a face plate 13. The armature shaft passes through the plates 12 and 13 and the plate 13 is arranged to rock about an axis concentric with the shaft. As shown the plate 13 is provided with a cir-. cular in-turned lip 14 which engages a cir-' cular groove in a bracket or projection of the plate 12. The current generated by the:

magneto passes through a terminal 15 to a contact 16 on the end .of the armature shaft, thence to a brush 17 bearing on said cont-act and to a bracket 18 which carries a spring' 19 hearing on the brushl7. The bracket 18 is carried on but insulated from two posts .20, 21, fixedin the face plate 13. Bracket 18 the distributer plate.

One arm of the lever bears a pin or roller 26 running in a cam groove in the face of a cam wheel 27 fixed on the armature shaft 11 (Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7). The post- 25 carries a the cam wheel and lever 24 are grounded on the armature shaft. When the points 22 and 23 are in contact the armature is shortcircuite'd and when the current in the armature circuit is forced to pass out through binding post 29. on the Patented ov. 25, 1913.

brush 28 hearing on the cam wheel 27 and contact is broken the bracket 18, through conductor 30, through the primary coil of a transformer 31 and back to armature shaft by way of post 21. The secondary circuit of the transformer will be referred to hereinafter.

Upon the posts 20, 21, and insulated therefrom, is supported a bracket 32 carryinga spring contact point 33 similar to the point 22. tact point 34 carried by a cam lever 35 pivoted on a post- 36 upon the face plate 13. A spring 37 tends to move the oints 33, 34, apart andto press one arm of t 1e lever upon a face cam on the periphery of the cam wheel 27. hen the pdints 33, 34 are in contact, the current from a battery 38 passes through conductor 39, the primary coil of the transformer 31, binding-post 21, face plate 13, cam lever 35, bracket 32, post 40- and conductor 41. It will be understood that the magneto current is only available when the motor is operating, the magneto being driven from the motor and at the same speed as the motor. For starting the motor the battery current is used. The primary circuits of the battery and magneto are provided with suitable switches as shown'in my prior Patent 838,251, Dec. 11, 1906.

The secondary or high tension circuit from the transformers 31 and 31 passes through conductors 43, 43 respectively to a switch 43 and thence through conductor 43 to a post 44 on a distributer plate 45 of insulating-material which is mounted on the magneto above the face plate 13. From the post 44 the high tension circuit passes through a conductor 46 to a conducting ring 47 on Concentric with the ring 47 is a shaft 48 which is mounted on the magneto and driven from the armature shaft by gears 49, 50, the latter having twice as many teeth as the former and driving the shaft 48 at one-half the speed ofthe gamma Cooperating with the point 33 is a conture shaft. On the shaft i8 is-an arm of insulating material 51 carrying a plate 52 of conducting material.

lliounted in the plate 52 is a brush 53 which isconstantly in contact with the ring 47 and another brush 1 which is adapted to make contact with four segmental plates 55 upon the distributor plates, which plates are respectively connected by conductors ems the contact segment which has just been left in the cylinder which is making its working stroke, and thus avoiding a premature exby the brush 5-1, causing an additional spark plcsion in the succeeding cylinder, such as 70 would occur if the spark were permitted to leap ahead to the contact plate in advance of the brush it is to be understood that my invention l l l 56 ith bi di posts 57, Fr th p ts may be embodied in various mechanical and 75 57 the conductors 58 lead respectively to the electrical structures and that it is not limited spark plugs S of the motor cylinders E. to the precise construction and arrangement One element of each spark plug is grounded of parts illustrated and described herein. on the engine and the circuit returns from The preferred system of conductors or the engine to the transformers 31 or 31 wiring is shown and described in mylatent 30 through conductor 59.

Circuit breakers 23 and 84: are operated twice during each rotation of the armature Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patshaft and, therefore, four times during each rotation of the distributer shaft :8, and the cams are arranged to break the circuits at times when the brush 54: is in. contact with one or other of the plates 55. In order that the spark may be advanced or retarded with 25 respect to the position of the piston in the cylinder at the time of explosion, I arrange the face plate 13 so that it may. be rocked in either direction as indicated by the dot- V ted lines in Fig. 2. Thus, assun'iing that the magneto is turned in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 2 and 6, the spark will be ad- I vanced by rocking the right. end of the face plate upward and will be retarded by rocking it downward, the extreme positions heing shown in dotted lines in Fig; 2. Ignition may occur when the brush 54: is at any point upon one of the curved contact plates or segments 55. If the face plate 13 is set in a position to cause late or retarded igni- 40 tion, the high tension current will flow through the brush 54c and contact segment 55 just before the brush leaves the segment and the cam 27 may prolong the primary current after the brush has left the segment. This with result in a great difference of potential between the brush and the segment, which would ten d to cause a spark to leap from the brushto the next succeeding segment across which it is to rub and thus cause pre-ignition and a back kick in the cylinder having its spark plug connected with said sucl ceeding segment. To avoid this a safety device in the form of a finger 60, connected electrically with the plate 52, is mounted on the arm 51, which finger trails after the transformer in the generator circuit, of a 120 brush 54:. The finger 60, as shown in Fig. 1, face plate adapted to rock upon an axis conhas its pointclose to but not in contactwith I centric with the generator shaft, a earn the face of the distribnter plate, there being wheel on said shaft, and a pair of circuit, an-air gap 61 between the finger and the breakers connected to said faceplate and so contact plates 55. If the diflercncc of pooperated by said cam wheel, said circuit 125 tential between the brush 5e and one of the breakers being included respectively in the contact plates becomes suiiicient to cause battery and generator circuit, and said face a spark -to leap from one to the other, the plate being movable to advance or retard the spark in the engine.

i. l current, choosing the path of least resistance 65 will reap the air gap from the finger 60 to l 4:. In an ignition apparatus, in combina- 131 cut is,

1. The combination with a hydrocarbon 35 engine and an electric ignition apparatus comprising a battery, a generator having a shaft and driven by the engine, and transformer apparatus in circuit respectively with the battery and the generator, of a faceplate adapted to rock upon an axis concentric'with the generator shaft, a cam wheel on said shaft, and a pair of circuit breakers connected to said face plate and, operated by said cam wheel, said circuit breakers being included respectively in the battery and generator circuits, and being movable to advance or retard the spark in the engine.

2. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine, an electric ignition apparatus comprising a battery, generator having a shaft and driven by the engine, and a transformer apparatus, of a face plate adapted to rock about an axis concentric with the generator shaft, a cam wheel. on said shaft adjacent to the face plate and having two cam surfaces, pair of cam levers operated by said cam surfaces, and circuit breakers operated by said levers, said circuit breakers being respectively in the battery and generator circuits, and said face plate bcing movable to advance or retard the spark in the engin'e, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine and an electric ignition apparatus comprising a battery, a generator having a shaft and driven. by the engine, a transformer.in the battery circuit, and a second tion, an electric generator, a battery, suitable transformer apparatus for the generator and battery, a pluralityof contact devices for sending current from either the battery or the generator through the transformer apparatus, and means for simultaneously adjusting the contact devices for advancing or retarding thespark.

In an ignition apparatus, in combination, an electric generator, a transformer therefor, a battery and. a transformer therefor, a plurality of contact devices for sending current from either the generator or thebattery through the primaries of their respective transformers, a spark plug, a single switch for connecting the spark plug in circuit with either of the secondaries of the transformers, and means for simultaneously adjusting the contact devices for advancing or retarding the spark. 6. In an ignition apparatus for a multicylinder hydrocarbon motor, the combination of an electric generator, a battery, transformers for the generator and the battery, a plurality of contact-devices arranged respectively in the generator and battery primary circuits, a set-of spark plugs for the motor, a single distributer having con-- ductors leading to said plugs, means for connecting either of the high tension windings of said transformers to said distributer, and

' means for simultaneously adjusting the contactdevices for spark. 7. The combination with a hydrocarbon motor, of an electric ignition apparatus comprising a battery, a suitable transformer for the battery current, a generator drivenby the motor, a suitable transformer for the generator current, a member adapted to rock about the axis of the generator shaft, a circuit breaker mechanism and cam means operating same, one of which is mounted on the generator shaft and'the other on said member, and said circuit breaker mechaadvancing or retarding the nism being adapted to controlthe primary circuits of both the battery and the generator, and said member being movable to advance or retard thespark in the motor. 8. The combination with a hydrocarbon motor, of an electric ignition apparatus 'comprising a battery, a transformer for the battery current, a generator driven by the' engine,'a transformer for the generator current, a member adapted to'rock about the axis of the generator shaft, a circuit breaker and a cam for operating same, one of said parts being mounted on the generator shaft and the other on said member and the circuit breaker being arranged in the battery circuit, and a second circuit breaker and a cam for operating same, one of said parts being mounted on the generator shaft and the other on said member-and the circuit breaker being arranged in the generator circuit, said member being movable to advance or retard the spark in the engine. 9. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine, of an electric ignition apparatus comprising a battery, a transformer for the battery current, a'generator driven by the engine, a transformer for the generator current, a plate mounted on the generator adjacent the shaftthereof, a circuit breaker and a cam for operating same, one of said parts being mounted on the generator shaft and the other on the plate and the circuit breaker being arranged in the battery cir- 4 cuit, and a second circuit breaker and a cam for operating same, one of said parts being mounted on the generator shaft and the other on the plate and the circuit breaker being arranged in the generator circuit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RUSSELL HUFF.

Witnesses:

ALLEN Looms,

F. E. PAINE, Jr.

. M Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. G. 

